The invention relates to an apparatus for reading information from recording tracks which extend substantially parallel to each other and make an angle with the longitudinal axis of a recording tape. The apparatus includes at least a first and second head for in turn sequentially reading consecutive recording tracks, at least a first and a second transducer for adjusting the position of respectively the first and the second head in a direction transverse to the direction of the recording tracks, a tracking signal generator for alternately generating at least a first and a second tracking signal respectively, which signal is a measure of the deviation of the first or the second head relative to the center of the track to be followed by said head, an energizing circuit for energizing the first and the second transducer as a function of the first and the second tracking signal respectively, so as to center the first and the second head respectively relative to the track to be followed by said head, and a tape speed control circuit.
Such an apparatus is a two-head version of the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,733, issued Oct. 27, 1981, corresponding to Netherlands Patent application No. 7,702,815 which has been laid open to public inspection. In such a two-head apparatus, tracking signals can be generated which alternately center the first and the second head relative to the track to be followed. In addition to a control for the head positions, such an apparatus also requires a tape speed control. It is known tocontrol the tape speed by comparing a signal obtained from a tacho-generator which is coupled to a tape-drive motor with a synchronizing signal which is recorded on the tape. This has the drawback that a separate synchronizing track is required on the tape.